The World’s Most Beautifully Designed Ocean-Fed Pools
From a seawater hotel pool in the South of France to the impossibly blue waters of an Australian ocean pool, AD examines 8 pools that take lap swimming to the next level

Before the late-19th century, there was a time when splashing in a saltwater swimming pool was merely a means to cool off during the steamy summer months, with the aid of mother nature. During that time one would find stylish swimmers at the Sutro Baths in San Francisco, the era’s largest indoor pool, which was filled with steam-heated ocean water from the Pacific. Today, the ruins still stand in San Francisco, and new ocean pools have cropped up around the globe. They can be found in Australia, for example, or at any number of luxury hotels throughout Europe.
Laura Patterson, who is currently an architect for the state of Louisiana, argues that ocean-fed pools can often be much more interesting and aesthetically pleasing than traditional pools. “The experience can include a pool within a more organic and unrefined environment, sometimes even a cavernous setting,” says Patterson. “In contrast, they can be designed with a very sleek and modern vibe while still achieving the experience of soaking in seawater while overlooking the agrestal beauty of the ocean—albeit with a fancy drink in hand and limited potential of losing your sunglasses to the tide.”
Because really, why should one have to choose between a dip in the pool and the ocean? Do both. From a seawater hotel piscine in the South of France to the impossibly blue waters of an Australian ocean pool, here are eight of the world’s most beautifully designed ocean-fed swimming pools.
- date publishedOctober 1, 2021
- categoryTravels
- original sourceArchitectural Digest↗